Jarrett Talks TNA Roster Cuts, Live Monday’s, Hogan/Bischoff

The following is an excerpt from a new article on Jeff Jarrett from The Miami Herald

A point of criticism was iMPACT! on Spike TV moving to Monday nights during the spring.

“I can sit here and tell you that we have been doing everything on schedule perfectly. Hindsight is 20/20,” said Jarrett.

“We all went into the Monday night experiment with our eyes wide open, and we dove in head first. In reality, our viewers only missed two Thursdays. We were on replay every week.

“So the time-slot never really went away. We’ve listened to our fans. We’ve listened to our focus groups. We’ve listened to numbers, and we would never have gotten to where we are today had we not tried that experiment.

“The mistake would be not learning from that experiment. We are about to take another step and change on how the company does business. We don’t want to sit back and rest on our accomplishments. We are always trying and always pushing ourselves not just talent in the ring, but all facets of our business.”

Another opinionated topic is the signings of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. Those acquisitions, along with TNA bringing stars with big price tags, have led many to question if the money spent is worth it.

“If you have too many young guys, you don’t have the teachers or the established brand names to spread awareness,” Jarrett said. “You could also swing the pendulum the other way and have too many older guys where there is not a good balance.

“We are always looking for that perfect mix, and in the months to come, I think we will have it. Hulk Hogan is far and away the most recognizable professional wrestler that has ever lived. He has surpassed Gorgeous George, and everyone knew that name.

“There have been some guys who have been main eventing for one year, two years, maybe three years., but Hulk Hogan has been a main event guy at the very top of every organization he worked for since 1981 or 1982, before the national expansion.

“So bringing him in, the dynamic has changed everything dramatically. I still welcome Hulk Hogan on board because the dynamic he brings. He is successful with wrestling outside the ring. His brand name with TNA has brought nothing but more awareness for the organization.”

With the recent money invested, there would be a number of cost-cutting measures, including roster cuts. Without confirming or denying, Jarrett believes it’s the nature of the beast for any company.

“We run a business and in the business of making money,” Jarrett said. “So what needs to be done needs to be done in order for us to be in business.”